A tarte is a rich, buttery cookie-type shell that you fill with fruit or other fillings. It never has a crust that covers the filling completely. A tarte can have a latticed crust or other open crust on top. A tart is usually made in a pan with straight sides.

A pie has a lighter, flakier crust that is filled with fruits or other fillings. A pie has a crust that completely covers the filling. It is usually baked in a pie pan, which has sloping sides.

O.K., a Lemon Meringue Pie does not have a crust, but it is baked in a pie pan with sloping sides. If it were baked in a pan with straight sides, it would be called a Lemon Meringue Tart..

Of course, there are numerous exceptions. Meat pies do not necessarily have a crust. And quiches are vegetable or meat pies that do not have a top crust.

Both tortes and cakes are made with a varying combinations of butter, sugar and eggs. Tortes often use finely grated nuts, grated crumbs (of cookies or crackers) as flours. Cakes use flour. Cakes are lighter, tortes are denser.